MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference has announced its major award winners and all-conference teams for the 2026 men's soccer season.
League champion Edgewood University and NACC Tournament No. 2 seed Aurora University both collected a pair of major honors, while Benedictine University and Lakeland University scored one apiece. Edgewood juniors
Connor Gage and
Noah Shook were named NACC Forward of the Year and NACC Defender of the Year, respectively. Aurora senior
Carlos Viayra captured NACC Midfielder of the Year honors, while teammate
Aaron Saldana, another midfielder, was recognized as the NACC Freshman of the Year. NACC Goalkeeper of the Year honors went to Benedictine junior
Abrahm Tiburcio, while the league's coaches selected Lakeland as the NACC Coaching Staff of the Year.
Forward of the Year --- Connor Gage, jr., Edgewood University
Gage, a junior, has started all 20 of Edgewood's games heading into Saturday's NACC Tournament final against MSOE. He leads all NACC players with 27 points and 10 goals while ranking in a tie for fifth in assists with seven. Gage is also fourth among league players in both shots per game (2.85) and shots on goal per game (1.40). He also has three game-winning goals to his credit this season.
Gage has one multiple-goal game, scoring a brace in a 5-0 win at Marian in mid-October. He also scored (1) or assisted (3) on all four goals in the Eagles' 4-1 win over Rockford. Gage's only other multiple-point game came against Wisconsin Lutheran to close the regular season, scoring the game-winning goal on a penalty kick while adding an assist.
Gage, who also spent some time at center back for the Eagles this season, recently broke Edgewood's career mark for points - currently at 107 and counting - and sits within striing distance of the program's career goals record. His 41 career goals trails only the 43 put home by Garrett Lee from 2015-18.
Gage is the first Edgewood student-athlete to be named NACC Forward of the Year since the conference's top offensive award was split last year. It is, however, the second NACC major honor for Gage, who was named the 2024 NACC Freshman of the Year.
Midfielder of the Year --- Carlos Viayra, Aurora University
Viayra, a senior, participated in all 19 of Aurora's games this season with 17 starts. He recorded 23 points on seven goals and nine assists, highlighted by a five-point game (2G, A) in a 6-0 win over Concordia Chicago on Sept. 30. Viayra also recorded a goal and an assist each in wins over Millikin (7-3), Illinois Tech (3-2), and Rockford (3-0).
Viayra is currently tied with Lakeland's Isai Gil for the league lead in assists, while holding the top spot in assists per game (0.47) to himself and ranking second (with teammate
Issa Mnangwa) to Edgewood's
Connor Gage in total points and points per game (1.21).
This is the first time an Aurora student-athlete has been recognized in the short history of the NACC Midfielder of the Year award. Spartan student-athletes have earned honors each of the past three seasons as NACC Forward of the Year (2025,
Branden Dolezal) or NACC Offensive Player of the Year (2023 & 2024,
Enrique Gonzalez).
Defender of the Year --- Noah Shook, jr., Edgewood University
Shook, a junior, has started all 18 games in which he has participated for Edgewood heading into Saturday's NACC Tournament final against MSOE. Playing primarily at center back, he anchored a defense that conceded just nine goals in league play as the Eagles posted a 10-1-1 mark to win a third consecutive NACC title. Playing in front of goalkeeper Erza Wallace, his back line has only allowed two or more goals twice against NACC competition this season (MSOE, CUW), while recording seven shutouts.
Shook also made some runs into the attacking third at fullback resulting in goals against Marian, Rockford, and Wisconsin Lutheran.
Shook is the third consecutive Edgewood student-athlete to be named Defender of the Year (
Ben Brody, 2025) or Defensive Player of the Year (
Jack Knight, 2024).
Goalkeeper of the Year --- Abrahm Tiburcio, jr., Benedictine University
Tiburcio, a junior, started 15 of Benedictine's 19 games this season in goal, accumulating a 7-3-5 record with a 1.034 goals-against average, 63 saves, an .808 save percentage and five shutouts. Following a 1-2 start in his first three games in goal, Tiburcio allowed just eight goals while posting a 6-0-5 mark in the next 11 games he played as the Eagles posted a 5-1-6 record in league play. Four of his five shutouts came against NACC competition, including two scoreless draws and a 2-0 win over Illinois Tech in the quarterfinals of the NACC Tournament.
Tiburcio currently shares the league lead in shutouts, sits second in save percentage and goals-against average, and is fourth in total saves and fifth in minutes played (1305:00) and saves per game (4.20).
In league play, Tiburcio led all NACC goalkeepers in save percentage (.857) and ranked third in goals-against average (.80) and saves per game (4.80).
Tiburcio is the first Benedictine student-athlete to be named NACC Goalkeeper of the Year, and the first to earn a predominantly defensively award since
Yusuf Sahin was named NACC South Division Defensive Player of the Year during the Spring 2021 season.
Freshman of the Year --- Aaron Saldana, MF, Aurora University
Saldana started 18 of Aurora's 19 games this season, yielding his starting position to a senior on Senior Day against Millikin. He accumulated six points on a goal and four assists with his lone goal of the season being an unassisted game-winner in the 64th minute of Aurora's 2-1 win over Dominican on Oct. 7. He added assists against Concordia Chicago, Marian, Rockford, and St. Norbert - the last of which came in the Spartans' NACC Tournament opener.
Saldana is the third Aurora men's soccer student-athlete to be named NACC Freshman of the Year after
Henry Zehnal (2017) and
Julian Orozco (2023).
Coaching Staff of the Year --- Lakeland University (Kyle Quintell, head coach)
Under the direction of third-year head coach Kyle Quintell, Lakeland got off to a blistering start to the 2026 season with six straight wins after an opening-day loss at Lawrence. After a loss to league champion Edgewood to open the NACC slate, the Muskies followed with five wins and two draws over its next seven matches to build an 11-2-2 overall mark and a 5-1-2 record in league play as the calendar hit mid-October.
Despite a late-season turn of form, Lakeland qualified for postseason play for the first time since 2009, ending the longest postseason drought of any NACC men's soccer program. The Muskies secured the No. 6 seed in the NACC Tournament where they bowed out in the quarterfinals to No. 3 seed and eventual tournament finalist MSOE. Lakeland finished the year at 11-6-4 overall and 5-3-4 in NACC play.
Lakeland's 51 goals have topped the league table to this point, while the Muskies currently rank second among NACC programs in scoring offense (2.32 gpg), shots per game (15.95), shots on goal per game (7.91), and total points (140), and third in points per game (6.36), shot accuracy (.496), and total assists (38).
Quintell is assisted by
Tony Pierce,
Paul Griffin,
Andres Gonzalez, and
Aba Phutin.
This is the first time anyone representing Lakeland has received a NACC major award in men's soccer.
All-Conference Teams Announced
The 2026 All-NACC Men's Soccer Teams were dominated by the top three programs in the final standings. League champion Edgewood had a conference-best eight selections, including three first-team selections. Aurora was next with seven all-league picks, landing a NACC-best five on the first team. MSOE had six total all-NACC picks - two on the first team and four on the second team - while Benedictine and Illinois Tech each had three. Two of Benedictine's honorees landed on the first team, as did one from Illinois Tech. Dominican picked up the final all-conference selection, landing senior forward Tristan Banquil on the first team.
| 2026 All-NACC Men's Soccer Team |
| Forward of the Year |
Connor Gage, Edgewood |
| Midfielder of the Year |
Carlos Viayra, Aurora |
| Defender of the Year |
Noah Shook, Edgewood |
| Goalkeeper of the Year |
Abrahm Tiburcio, Benedictine |
| Freshman of the Year |
Aaron Saldana, MF, Aurora |
| Coaching Staff of the Year |
Lakeland (Kyle Quintell, head coach) |
| First Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Abrahm Tiburcio |
Benedictine |
Jr. |
GK |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Max Crawford |
Aurora |
Sr. |
D |
Mattawan, Mich. |
| Julian Orozco |
Aurora |
Sr. |
D |
Hoffman Estates, Ill. |
| Jakub Kasiak |
Benedictine |
So. |
D |
Bridgeview, Ill. |
| Noah Shook |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
D |
Bettendorf, Iowa |
| Chase Frea |
MSOE |
Jr. |
D |
Waukesha, Wis. |
| Carlos Viayra |
Aurora |
Sr. |
MF |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Ryan Hardy |
Edgewood |
So. |
MF |
Elm Grove, Wis. |
| Adrian Cogolludo |
Illinois Tech |
Jr. |
MF |
Zaragosa, Spain |
| Frankie Jimenez |
Aurora |
Jr. |
F |
Mundelein, Ill. |
| Issa Mnangwa |
Aurora |
So. |
F |
Wheaton, Ill. |
| Tristan Banquil |
Dominican |
Sr. |
F |
Scottsdale, Ariz. |
| Connor Gage |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
F |
Verona, Wis. |
| Nico Picha |
MSOE |
Sr. |
F |
Naperville, Ill. |
| Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Ezra Wallace |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
GK |
Madison, Wis. |
| Neo Najjar |
Edgewood |
Fr. |
D |
Croatia |
| Filip Aniecko |
MSOE |
So. |
D |
Arlington Heights, Ill. |
| Peter Yehle |
MSOE |
Sr. |
D |
Madison, Wis. |
| Aaron Saldana |
Aurora |
Fr. |
MF |
Hampshire, Ill. |
| Omar Saldana |
Aurora |
Sr. |
MF |
Elgin, Ill. |
| Krystof Cicha |
Benedictine |
So. |
MF |
Bridgeview, Ill. |
| Cristian Torres-Gale |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
MF |
Madison, Wis. |
| Junior Pineda-Alcala |
Illinois Tech |
So. |
MF |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Andrew Calderon |
MSOE |
Fr. |
MF |
Channahon, Ill. |
| Ditar Useni |
MSOE |
Jr. |
MF |
Glencoe, Ill. |
| Riley Kann |
Edgewood |
So. |
F |
Middleton, Wis. |
| Isaiah Stiebel |
Edgewood |
Fr. |
F |
Barbados |
| Paul Balea |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
F |
Peoria, Ill. |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Brett Miller |
Aurora |
Sr. |
GK |
Grand Rapids, Mich. |
| Walter Delapaz |
Aurora |
Jr. |
D |
South Elgin, Ill. |
| Nick Smith |
Benedictine |
Jr. |
MF |
Oswego, Ill. |
| James Ensaldo |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Fr. |
D |
Glendale, Wis. |
| Travis Fowler |
Dominican |
Jr. |
D |
Franklin, Tenn. |
| Ciaran Geraghty |
Dominican |
Sr. |
D |
Scottsdale, Ariz. |
| Jonathan Almaguer |
Dominican |
Jr. |
MF |
Berwyn, Ill. |
| Timmy Cole |
Edgewood |
Fr. |
D |
Oconomowoc, Wis. |
| Haris Sarajlija |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
MF |
Brookfield, Ill. |
| Jake Skiba |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
D |
Homer Glen, Ill. |
| Cal Graham |
Illinois Tech |
Jr. |
F |
Parker, Colo. |
| Ali Faiad |
Lakeland |
Fr. |
GK |
Alexandria, Egypt |
| Isai Gil |
Lakeland |
Jr. |
MF |
Beaumont, Calif. |
| Aaron Cortez |
Lakeland |
Fr. |
MF |
Sheboygan, Wis. |
| Jordan Davis-Troller |
Lakeland |
Sr. |
F |
Cottage Grove, Wis. |
| Woodlens Frederic |
Lakeland |
Fr. |
F |
Green Bay, Wis. |
| Christian Dershem |
MSOE |
Jr. |
GK |
Grand Rapids, Mich. |
| Lachlan Ladd |
MSOE |
So. |
F |
Naperville, Ill. |
| Wesley Pritzlaff |
Rockford |
Jr. |
GK |
Milwaukee, Wis. |
| Jackson Kiszka |
St. Norbert |
Jr. |
GK |
Portage, Mich. |
| Davis Vega |
St. Norbert |
Sr. |
D |
Mukwonago, Wis. |
| Quinn Graham |
St. Norbert |
So. |
F |
Skokie, Ill. |
| Hayden McLarty |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Fr. |
D |
Franklin, Tenn. |
| George O'Connor |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
So. |
D |
Chesterton, Ind. |